JULIA
BORn
Luton
year of birth
1984
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I always say I am Chinese, British-born. I never say I'm English and I question why, and its because I feel very much Chinese and also I feel like I am an extension of it as well. I really feel like I'm an hybrid car engine, like I'm eco-friendly engine which is half powered by electricity and half powered by natural sources in the same way, I’m half powered by my Chinese roots and half powered by my surroundings in this country. That’s what makes me strong as well.
My object represents all the cultural beliefs and rituals that are embedded in me which I’ve not always realised are a big part of me. This is a ping on fu (blessed paper), my mum gave it to me in 2005 when I lived in France for a year. My mum got it from when she was in Hong Kong when she was praying for my safety. I transfer this to whichever purse I have.
This is my sword that I haven't brought out for a while. This use to hang in our house, all the time. In front of the mirror. It's not sharp and it's my Dad's. He taught martial arts when we were kids. He use to make us do martial arts stuff in the sitting room. He learnt in Hong Kong but then, he didn't carry it on when he came to England but he would still do it if you asked him. Now all these elements like tai chi and Shaolin influence my work as a dancer.
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我總是說我是英國出生的是華人 。我從來不說我是英國人。我反思過，可能是因為我覺得我很中式，是種延續和繼承。我感覺自己像一個混合式汽車引擎，電動環保和自然能耗相結合。同樣，我有華人的根基，又受這個國家環境的影響。這讓我很強大。
我的物品代表了我深信的文化信仰和禮俗， 但有時我未必意識到它們對我好重要。這個平安符是我母親在2005年，我去法國住了一年的時候給我的。我母親在香港為我求的這個平安符。我把它當做我的幸運符。
這是我的劍，我好久都沒拿出來過了。我之前一直把它掛在我們家鏡子前面。它不鋒利，是我父親的。我們小的時候，他是教武術的。他以前總要我們在客廳里練武術。他是在香港學的，但是來英國後，他就沒學了。但是你要他舞劍，他還是會做給你看。現在作為舞蹈演員，我的舞蹈都受到太極，少林武功的影響。